Will Ruth is the JV Coach for the Bellingham Warriors HS Club Lacrosse team and the strength coach for the Western Men’s Club Rowing team. He is an NCSA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) as well as USA-Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach and US-Lacrosse Level 2. In 2015, he became a Rowperfect UK author with his step-by-step manual for strength training for rowing, Rowing Stronger. He also is a Strongman competitor.

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Quote

‘Create the highest possible operating standards, develop the character of your players, and develop the culture of your team, and as the title of Walsh’s book says ‘The score takes care of itself” – James Kerr in Legacy

Mental Toughness/Achieving Peak Performance

Focus on effort rather than outcome. You want them to play aggressive and learn from mistakes, not be afraid to make them

Will coached a kid who was moved to varsity as a freshmen and it stressed him out, so they moved him back to JV – so Will’s job was to get him back to loving lacrosse and not being stressed by it. One way Will did this was using a physical routine – of actually brushing off his shoulders after a mistake (mental reset routine)

Use the bench as a teaching tool not a punishment

Culture – Discipline/Rewards/Teambuilding

It starts with developing leaders and captains

Try to not overcoach during games – have your leaders figure it out. It’s not a video game – don’t try to control every action.

Connecting with and Impacting Kids

Will tries to bring up each kid to a higher level

The One that got away

Will lives the philosophy of looking forwards not backwards

Best borrowed/stolen idea

Devolved leadership from James Kerr in Legacy

Thirds system of practice planning – 1st 3rd is stick skills, 2nd 3rd is small-sided games, 3rd 3rd is more full games

Favorite coaching book/quote

Quote: ‘Create the highest possible operating standards, develop the character of your players, and develop the culture of your team, and as the title of Walsh’s book says ‘The score takes care of itself” – James Kerr in Legacy

Strength Coach Will

Parting Advice

Make sure it’s still fun. Remember what it was like to play at that age, and what did you like doing in practices?

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